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WHITEBIRD
Mar-24-2004, 7:00pm
I've been reading all the posts lately about the benefits and positives of the many strings out there. I decided to try some different brands / types and recieved my order from Just Strings a couple of days ago (came quick too.) I purchased some J75's, FT74's, Elixers, GHS, and I already have a set of TI's waiting to go on. I realized that in the last couple of months I have spent more on strings (it's more of a collection right now as I buy more than I need, to keep up with normal string changes), than I did on my first mando! I still have the mando and I love it, and strings are really not costly with the exception of maybe one or two out there. It there such a thing as SAS? I can't wait to try them all! I am partial to the J75's, but I still need to try out the other ones I have. Something keeps saying, you need more stings! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Ken Sager
Mar-24-2004, 7:39pm
Wow. You're really sick.

You fit in perfectly with the rest of us.:D

I haven't done this yet with my new Pomeroy, but I'll be doing the exact same thing you're doing looking for the best match. I'm already hypothesizing the FT74s or TIs will do really well on this mando. I'm pleased with J74s right now, but I'd like to give different strings a few weeks of tryouts.

After going the rounds I'm stuck on J74s for my Collings. They give it lots of pop, whomp, and shimmering crisp boogie snap. That plus the price ($4.50 a set) makes J74s all the more satisfying.

I have a few extra sets of Gibson Sam Bush Monels if anybody wants to trade other strings for them. I'd consider just about anything.

Best,
Ken

levin4now
Mar-24-2004, 8:46pm
I don't have SAS necessarily. However, I just mailed off my last two sets of J74's to try out someone's Gibson Sam Bush Monel Wound Strings. I had only used on set of the J74's before I was asked for teh trade. I had wanted to try the Monels, and I LOVE them. they sound great! (**well, my mando was overdue a sstring change so any strings might have helped), but I love the tone of these!)

However, I will try these two sets before I go to anything else. I am curious about the FT74's. Let us know what you think of em.

mandoJeremy
Mar-24-2004, 8:52pm
During the 12 years I have been playing I think I have tried out every set of mando strings there are. I stuck with the monels because they had the tone I desired but I do think it is a good idea to try a few different brands on every mando because some strings sound better on a certain mando than others.

DannyB
Mar-25-2004, 9:51am
Is there a set of monels with a 15 or 16 A string? Levin, thanks for the trade. I'm puttin the J's back on this weekend. I think my saddle is cut for 16s' on the A string which is where my buzzing problem started. The other thought I'm having is, I do have a couple GHS 16s' left I just don't know what they'll sound like with the monels on the E, D, and G strings. Might be worth a shot though.

DannyB

levin4now
Mar-25-2004, 1:05pm
No problem DannyB, Thanks for the trade yourself. Like I said they sound great. I thought I noticed a buzz at first when I was tuning up - but I'll have to listen for it again this eve.

BTW, what is MONEL?

JD Cowles
Mar-25-2004, 1:22pm
folks, if you think PAS is a problem, you're just at the tip of the iceburg. #i'm also suffering from a variety of PMMAS (poor man's mando aquisition syndrome) related illnesses including:
PLAS (plectrum acquisition syndrom)
MCAS (mandolin case aquisition syndrome)
MEMAS (mandolin educational material acquisition syndrome)

doantions are encouraged. #please send 1$ to the PMMAS Foundation (in my name of course)
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif

Lee
Mar-25-2004, 1:23pm
Monel is an alloy metal. It is naturally occuring and mined in NY state. But most often it's made artificially by mixing together 66% nickel, 30% copper, 2% iron, and some other things. It's very resistant to corrosion, even more so than 304 or 316 stainless steel.

Lee
Mar-25-2004, 1:29pm
Y' know, I'd love to try out different strings more often, but I detest re-stringing. Anybody else hate it too?

onlyagibsonisgoodenuff
Mar-25-2004, 1:53pm
yeah, by the time i twist those little tiny buttons to get the thing in tune, my fingers are too tired to play! that's why i like DR mediums. they last a long time, but they're not the same as the coated strings that are out there.

Lee
Mar-25-2004, 5:29pm
It's especially annoying on some mandolins when the upper two tuning knobs are right close to the points on the headstock. I wish builders wouldn't do that.

Dru Lee Parsec
Mar-26-2004, 1:30pm
You should also try the strings from WebStrings.com (http://www.webstrings.com) (No affilliation, just a happy customer) I bet the strings you get from them for less than $3 a set are the same as the D'Darrios.

Walter Newton
Mar-28-2004, 11:50pm
onlyagibsonisgoodenuff - surely you aren't going through life without a string winder???

mpeknox
Mar-29-2004, 6:21am
I definitely am a MEMAS sufferer. I buy books and tapes from eBay faster than I can even look at them. Mostly I just put them in the tablature archives and think about them occasionally. If I could only learn about half the stuff in them I'd be a heckuva picker!

WireBoy
Mar-30-2004, 2:26am
Don't forget about the most insidious syndrome of them all,
Tichenor's Tendonitis;
an all too crippling malady caused by reptitive mouse manipulations reading the endless Message boards posts at Mandolin Café.

(pity poor Dale...)

WHITEBIRD
Apr-03-2004, 8:20pm
Hi, (stands up), I have SAS. Went for a road trip the other day, saw a music shop on the way, stopped (must quit doing that), perused the mandolin string collection, and yep, bought a pack. Didn't need them, just changed out both mandolins about two weeks ago, still have a dozen or so different sets to try out, but I bought them. Hey you can never have too many J74s right? I was on my way to a car auction, the wife was pleased that strings were the only thing I bought! HeHe.

Yonkle
Apr-06-2004, 10:39pm
Hummmm...."SAS" you say? After reading the symtoms I started to fear I may be slowly yet surely being aflicted by the syndrome. However my mandolin #3 is only 3 weeks old and I have had 4 sets on it, is this "SAS" or could it be the early stages of "NMSES" also know as Nimsee "New Mandolin String Experimentation Syndrome" I hope it is just NMSES, because doing the math 4 sets in 3 weeks times 52 weeks a year....OH NO $$$$$... "SAS" nip it in the bud, before it takes over your life, it breaks up homes and wears out tuners! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif